2021 Toyota Highlander Service Brakes Problems

NHTSA component category: SERVICE BRAKES · data through 07/14/2026

64Service Brakes complaints

13.5%Of all 475 complaints

#2Most-reported category

Source: U.S. NHTSA complaint data. Complaints are unverified reports from vehicle owners — a complaint is not a confirmed defect.

How service brakes ranks on this vehicle

POWER TRAIN189 · 39.8%

SERVICE BRAKES64 · 13.5%

Unspecified / other58 · 12.2%

ENGINE44 · 9.3%

AIR BAGS42 · 8.8%

Share of the 475 complaints citing each category; one complaint can cite several. Full breakdown on the 2021 Toyota Highlander overview page.

What owners report

“ON OCCASSION WHEN ATTEMPTING TO BREAK IN TRAFFIC OR SLOW DOWN AT A YIELD OR STOP SIGN THE BREAKS SEEM TO "FADE". THE CAR DOES…”NHTSA complaint 11529181 — filed 06/27/2023

“While braking at random times, at any speed, the vehicle surges forward. This makes you have to break harder to get the vehicle to stop…”NHTSA complaint 11528387 — filed 06/22/2023

“When braking, often it feels like the brakes are not engaged, not right away, but during the braking process. This causes the vehicle to surge…”NHTSA complaint 11526439 — filed 06/11/2023

Excerpts are shortened and scrubbed of personal details; they are individual, unverified reports.

Service Brakes complaints by year filed

Frequently asked questions

Does the 2021 Toyota Highlander have service brakes problems?

Service Brakes is the #2 most-reported problem area on the 2021 Toyota Highlander: 64 of 475 complaints on file (13.5%). Complaints are unverified owner reports, not confirmed defects.

How many complaints does the 2021 Toyota Highlander have in total?

475 complaints were on file with NHTSA as of 07/14/2026. Across all categories, 16 involved a crash, 3 involved a fire, 18 reported injuries, and none reported deaths.

What does NHTSA's service brakes category include?

NHTSA assigns each complaint to standard component categories; this page reports the SERVICE BRAKES category exactly as NHTSA defines and records it.

About this data — Complaint figures on this page are consumer reports submitted to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), a U.S. government agency. NHTSA does not verify individual complaints; a complaint is not proof that a defect exists, and counts reflect what owners chose to report, not confirmed failure rates. Recall information comes from official NHTSA safety recall campaigns; recall repairs are free at authorized dealers. Always check your specific vehicle by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. CarModelProblems.com is an independent site and is not affiliated with NHTSA or any vehicle manufacturer. Data through 07/14/2026.